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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: straw · mark · rash · season · stock · bay · object · bound

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. bound — obliged
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. mark — a trace
  5. object — to protest
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bound — certain
  8. object — a thing
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bound — tied together
  11. season — of the year
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. mark — a grade
  18. object — an aim
  19. stock — goods
  20. season — in sport
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. stock — shares
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. rash — hasty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com